What Keeps Us from Looking like Jesus? 

As students were presented with awards at the end of the school year, I was especially pleased to hear about the recognition one of our grandsons received at the Christian school he attends. He was given the award for Christlikeness, a high honor that was reserved for only one student in each grade level. While other awards for academics and sports achievements are also admirable, I believe this recognition of being like Jesus is a wonderful testimony of a person’s character. However, the physical appearance of my grandson the evening of the ceremony could have raised questions about the appropriateness of his receiving this particular honor. He walked onto the stage while sporting a noticeable black eye. Thankfully, he didn’t receive this injury from being in a fistfight. It was actually the result of getting hit in the face by a baseball the previous day. Nevertheless, it seemed rather humorous and could have been misunderstood in light of the award he was receiving. After all, I don’t recall any depictions of Jesus with a black eye. He may have dished out some tongue-lashings to the Pharisees and even got physical while driving out the moneychangers from the temple, but Jesus wasn’t a brawler.

  Christlikeness is something we should all be aiming for as followers of Jesus. It is not just one of many worthy goals for us to seek, but it is actually the main goal God has in mind for us. Romans 8:29 says that He has chosen us “to be conformed to the image of His Son.” Paul wrote about how we all are being transformed by the Holy Spirit into the image of the glory of the Lord (see II Corinthians 3:18). In another letter, he said, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). We are meant to be like Jesus.

However, we all are aware that we still have a long way to go before fully reaching that goal. It is great that my grandson was recognized for being Christlike but he can’t hang that certificate on his wall with the idea that he has reached the spiritual pinnacle where he can remain for the rest of his life. Just like the rest of us, he still has a lot of growing to do spiritually. There are still areas in our lives which need to be worked on, refined, and shaped more into the image of Jesus. No matter how much we may resemble the Lord, we are still only a blurred image of what He is and what we can yet be.  

Let’s just make sure that we don’t have any obvious black eyes that would hinder our testimony for Jesus. We all have our shortcomings. We are all works in progress. However, if there is a flaw in our character that tends to show itself prominently in our lives, we especially need to let the Holy Spirit work on us in that area. When other people see that noticeable attitude or spirit frequently manifesting itself through our words and behavior, it can damage our witness for the Lord. Again, we are all going to have our spiritual blemishes to overcome. But I am referring to the bigger and more prominent issues that we know are inappropriate for a follower of Jesus and that can be a stumbling block to the people around us. We need to let God do more than cover over that black eye, but to bring real healing from the inside out. 

Let’s allow the Lord to reveal any black eyes in our character and conduct that hurts our witness for Him. Then let’s seek His help to get rid of whatever keeps us from looking more like Jesus.

 

A New Direction but the Same God 

Our oldest grandson is one of the many high school students who are graduating this year. It is a significant milestone as these young people leave one phase of their lives and commence a new and different facet of their journey. We face similar pivotal moments at various times throughout our lives – getting married, having children, changing jobs, relocating. Even as we get older, we have to deal with saying goodbye to longtime familiar seasons of life and opening ourselves up to some new stage. It may be when we become empty-nesters, when we retire, or when health issues force us to relinquish some of our independence. Life is full of graduations and commencements, moving from one chapter to the next.

Those transition times can be stressful, even scary. We are leaving what we are familiar and comfortable with while stepping out into strange and uncertain territory. Therefore sometimes we may be tempted to hang onto the past and have a hard time giving it up. We may hesitate about walking into the unknown or refuse to take those steps even though we know it is the way we need to go. It can be a difficult time in our lives.

One of the most significant graduations and commencements recorded for us in the Bible is when the Israelites were leaving the wilderness in order to take possession of the homeland God had promised to give them. It doesn’t sound like a tough transition – graduating from a life of wandering in an area where food and water were scarce to entering and settling down in a lush land described as being full of milk and honey. It seems like everyone would be ready to excitedly move forward to this new adventure.

However, it wasn’t quite that simple. For most of the Israelites, all they knew was life in the wilderness. In spite of all its drawbacks, it was home. And while they had experienced a few battles up to this time, they knew war was going to be a constant way of life for a while as they went in to conquer this new land. They were switching from survival mode to battle mode. And some of their enemies were formidable – giants and well-fortified cities. To top it off, they were facing a major change in leadership. Their longtime leader, Moses, was passing the torch to his assistant, Joshua. Everything was going to change and be different.

Maybe God’s encouragement to Joshua and the Israelites can be helpful to us as we face times of transition in our own lives, whether graduating from school or starting some other new chapter. Appropriately enough, my grandson who is graduating is named Joshua. So let’s take these words to heart which were uttered to the Bible’s Joshua. “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you…Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:5, 9).

As the Lord was with us in the previous phase of our lives, He will be with us in the next one. He will continue to lead those who are seeking to follow Him. We may not know what lies ahead, but we know that the Lord will go with us whatever we may have to face. We don’t have to be afraid of the challenges ahead – God is fighting for us and can give us the strength we need.

Our pathway may be taking a sharp turn in a new direction, but the same faithful God who has helped us in the past will still be there to see us through this next part of life’s journey.

 

During Busy Times Refocus on the Lord 

For many people this seems to be an especially busy month. It is the time when another school year draws to a close, meaning a lot of end-of-the-year activities for teachers, students, and their families. Some are focused on graduations, not just from high school but from kindergarten and college. In addition to all of that busyness, throw in Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, and in our family a few birthday celebrations. I know others who are also in the middle of house renovations or sorting through all their belongings as they prepare to move out of their homes. At our church we even squeeze in our Homecoming service and potluck dinner this month.

When there is so much activity going on and our calendars are full, it is easy to get overwhelmed in all of the hustle and bustle. We can find ourselves stressed out as we try to navigate our way through those busy schedules. We hardly have time to catch our breaths as we scurry around, chauffeur kids, and prepare for special gatherings. It can be tiring just thinking about it, much less living it out each day.

At times like these, we need to remind ourselves of that familiar biblical exhortation: “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Someone might shout in response, “But I don’t have time to be still!” Neither did the psalmist. He referred to times of distress, earthshaking events, troubled waters, and war. Yet he reminded himself that God is our refuge and strength, no matter what is going on in our lives. In the midst of all the busy disturbances in his life, he heard the divine voice reminding him to be still and to focus on God.

Maybe some of us need to listen and act on that command too. Notice, it is a command, not just a suggestion. God knows what we need during these busy times. No, it isn’t more hours in the day or a clone of ourselves so that we can be doing two things at once or be in different places at the same time. What can often be most helpful in times like these is a better perspective. We need to be reminded that God is with us. We need to remember that He has everything under control. We need to know that we can lean on Him for support and strength, as well as take refuge in Him when we feel as if we are being overrun by everything. Be still and know that He is God.

How can we fulfill that command when the clock and the calendar seem to be putting so much pressure on us? It may involve just taking a moment to physically be still or at least to calm our spirit. Catch a breath. Say a prayer. Listen to an inspiring Christian song or hymn. Recite one of God’s promises to yourself. Get your eyes off your problems, challenges, and activities momentarily while getting refocused on the loving and powerful God who is with you.  

At the same time, as much as possible, don’t forsake those longer pauses in your schedule in order to draw close to the Lord. Keep your priorities in order. You may have to do it differently or at a different time, but maintain a regular time for Bible reading, prayer, and worship. Don’t let these other things crowd out your needed fellowship with your heavenly Father. Keep seeking the Lord first and all those other activities will find their proper place.

You may not have much choice but to be busy these days, However, also choose to take time to be still. Take a moment right now and draw close to the Lord.

 

Properly Use the Authority Jesus Gives You 

Some of you may recall an episode of The Andy Griffith Show in which scrawny Deputy Barney Fife confronts a couple of tough farmers who were illegally selling their produce on the side of the road. They flaunted their physical superiority over the deputy, made fun of him, and caused him to run off scared. However, by the end of the show, both they and Barney had learned something. An emboldened Barney encountered them again, reminding them that although they were bigger than he was, the people of Mayberry had given him the authority to represent them and to carry out the law. While he may not have had the physical ability to make those farmers move, he had the authority to do it.

 We need to recognize that truth about Jesus too. In His case, not only did He have the ability to do great things, but He had authority over sickness, evil, and even nature itself. He had the right and power to heal diseases, cast out demons, and calm stormy seas because of who He was as the Son of God.

Amazingly, He passed along that authority to His followers, at least to some degree and for certain occasions. He said that they would do the same kind of works He did. We find some of the disciples in the book of Acts doing such works of healing and other miracles in Jesus’ name. As Jesus was proclaiming what we have come to call the Great Commission, He prefaced it by saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). Maybe He was letting us know not only that He had all authority, but also that He was sending His followers out under that same authority. In a sense, He has deputized us. Jesus has given us the power and authority to minister in His name.

Therefore, on the one hand, we need to make use of the authority Jesus has bestowed on us. We don’t have to quiver and run away from evil forces and Satan. The Bible tells us that greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world. I am concerned that too many of us are like Barney Fife at his first encounter with those tough farmers. We let sin and Satan intimidate us. We cower in the face of evil and as we are confronted by the difficulties the devil throws in our pathway. We run scared when dealing with adversity and opposition.

Let’s remember whose we are – that we belong to the Lord and we are His ambassadors. We represent Him. We can make use of His authority to be overcomers and to be victorious over sin and evil in the world.

However, on the other hand, let’s be careful not to overstep or misuse that authority. Among those who like to talk about “taking authority” over things, there often seems to be an arrogant spirit. We need to be sure we exalt the Lord, not ourselves. It also seems that some people start claiming authority over every aspect of their lives without regard to what God’s will may be. They presume to take authority over anything they don’t like or that gets in the way of what they want. Some see demons around every corner, and ignore the fact that some of those difficulties are the result of their own foolish choices. 

Remember the quote from the Spiderman movie – “with great power comes great responsibility”. We have been given great power and authority by the Lord, but it comes with great responsibility to use it wisely and in the way God intends. Don’t ignore or neglect that authority. At the same time, let’s use it wisely under the Lord’s direction.